Stuck in Between
by SaGe FaE
Summary: WRITERS BLOCK, [Sorry Guys]: It’s two years after Haunted and life is going well for Susannah Simon – even that she shares an apartment with Paul Slater. But then Suze realizes there is another world out there. . . and it’s after her. . . Fight or Flight?
1. I: Seemingly Normal

**I'm sorry for the shortness in length of my chapters but since I'm new to this whole fan fiction thing, I hope you'll forgive me and read this story anyway.**

**∞** **Isa ∞**

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"Paul, you stink. Get your ass out of my face!" I growled, pushing Paul of the couch sitting in the middle of our small house. He fell to the floor, laughing. I wondered briefly why he was – usually, Paul would start pouting at me or give me the silent treatment or something.

I stared at him with a raised eyebrow, and then saw that his eyes were not looking into mine at all, I followed his gaze and noticed that his hand was around my wrist. I swore, 'Oh Shi-' but didn't get to finish because a moment later… I was on the white, carpet floor.

Unfortunately, the carpet did not soften my landing. I fell down – hard. Groaning like Paul would have normally done, I sat up, briefly looked down at my baby blue pyjama bottoms and Paul's black, two-sizes-too-large-for-me T-shirt with the words "G≣ F≣CK Y≣≣RS≣LF… Would you like to buy a vowel?" printed across it in white block letters, then up at Paul, who had once again taken a spot on the couch. My spot, to be precise.

I guess I should give an explanation or something, since last time you tuned into the life of Suze Simon she was in the Junipnero Serra Mission Academy's graveyard, kissing Jesse de Silva, the hottest ghost of all time.

Up to this day, I have never stopped loving Jesse and never will. No one can fill the empty hole inside of me – where Jesse used to be. I say, 'Used to be' because it's true. Jesse is gone.

I remember it all _too_ clearly. Its funny, when you have something you cherish, you want to remember it always but when something happens to the said cherished object and taints it in any way, you want to forget all about it.

For the past week after the kiss in the graveyard, Jesse was there every morning when I woke up, he followed me around the school and when we were alone, he sneaked in a few kisses. He was always there for me when I needed him and always they're to tuck me into bed at night.

But one day when I woke up… he wasn't there.

At first, I thought he was just off in the astral plane or dimension or something. Maybe over at the mission, I thought. But when Jesse didn't turn up for the whole day – I started to get worried.

A day turned into two, then three. By then, I decided to check out what was going on. I talked to Father Dominic and he told me he hadn't seen Jesse either – he thought that Jesse was staying with me for the time being.

Then I started to panic. It would have been fine if Father Dom had heard from Jesse or Jesse was just hanging around the rectory and Father Dom could have been lying – can priests even do that? – But I saw the look in Farther D's eyes and I knew he was telling the truth.

But Father Dominic didn't know where Jesse was, and neither did I. So I turned to the next possible suspect in this little mystery. Paul.

Paul, of course, denied everything I accused him of. I screamed, I cried, I demanded for him to bring Jesse back from wherever he took him, I tried to beat him to a pulp but my emotions seemed to control me and I crumpled at Paul's feet. With a change of heart, Paul comforted me although I had yelled and commanded him to undo something he never touched in the first place.

More days went by and I found myself spending more and more time away from my friends and more into my new job at the supermarket. My work was all that I put effort into, I started off as a trainee and soon enough I was the assistant manager and finally I received the title of manager itself.

Eventually, I earned enough money to buy my own Laptop – a shiny, silver Windows XP installed one – and a quarter of enough money to get a house. Paul, being my only true friend at the time, hitched in his savings – or a small amount of it anyway, Paul always seemed to be loaded – to help me get the place. So when Paul asked if he could move in with me, I accepted.

Our house, although quite small, was oddly beautiful. There were four rooms and a bathroom. One of the rooms was the lounge room, the other one was a kitchen, and then there were two bedrooms. Paul got one and I got the other. My room was black and white; they were the only two colours – other than my silver laptop and coloured clothing – that I would accept in my room.

By then, I had all but forgotten about Jesse. I may have seemed to forgotten about him in other peoples – mainly Paul and Father Dom's – eyes but to speak honestly, I had not. I loved Jesse and I never would stop loving him. I could eat all the chocolate and download all the rock songs I wanted, I would never get over him.

"Suze… Suze!" Paul waved a hand in front of my face. "You spaced out. What's up?" He added, looking at my face. I must have looked either sick or very sad for Paul to ask. Usually he would leave me alone, knowing what I was like when I got emotional. Lets just say that Paul learnt the hard way – by me moaning and screaming to him about Jesse, that is.

I just shot him a look. Paul's blue eyes immediately grew even more pitiful than before. 'Oh. I get it, you're thinking about him again.' Paul didn't say Jesse's name because he hated him – not anymore at least – but because he knew that if he said the name, I would either storm off or go into hysterics.

"I'm fine, Paul." I replied shortly, although I knew I was most definitely not. Paul must have realized this too, after all, we had lived with each other for a year and a half – Paul knew me inside and out. He understood my beliefs and emotions, how my mind worked and even when my period was irregular. It was hard to believe that the Paul I lived with was the same Paul Slater that stranded me and Jesse in Shadowland.

That's because it isn't. Oh, it may be the same figure of Paul, the same blue eyes, brown hair, and trademark smirk. But ever since he moved in with me – ever since Jesse left/moved on/whatever – Paul had been morphed into this funny, smart and caring figure of a man. Sure, he surprised me sometimes, and annoyed me a lot, but frighten me like he used to? Never. He had ditched that plan ages ago. To my relief, he also ditched the seduction act and started to date other girls now.

Paul's once caring, icy eyes were now gone, and in their place was a hot blue fire moulding with passion and understanding – also staring right at the television. "Come on Suze, Mediums on!" I couldn't help but giggle. The only reason we really watched medium was so Paul could spend a half an hour explaining to me what was true in the show and what wasn't. It was actually quite fun most of the time. The show was a little interesting as well as that.

The episode rolled on. 5… 10… 15…20 minutes past before my eyes felt heavy as I pushed my body up to Paul's. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and held me close, staring intently at the screen. I glanced at it before looking up at him and resting my head again. Another 5 minutes of this was all it took before I fell into a deep slumber.

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**A small pointless chapter. The next one will be better, I assure you. This only served as an explanation – or an insight if you will – to Suze's life so far. This is set at least a year or two after Haunted, because I haven't had a chance to read Twilight yet.**

∞ **Isa ∞**


	2. II: 'One Step from Death'

**You reviewers are seriously the best encouragement anyone could have. I don't deserve to have you, but I'm glad I do. When is Jesse coming into the story, you say? Soon, my children, Soon. This is Chapter Two. (Acknowledgements are down the bottom of the page)**

**∞ Isa ∞**

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_Dark eyes swept across the landscape, taking everything in with a single glance. When he started to move his feet, they moved in slow shuffles and if he could go any faster, he knew he would. But the stinging in his leg muscles was not ignored, and thus, slow would have to do for now._

_He knew he had to find her. His beautiful Sonya – the woman that had captured his heart and gave him her own. He would find her again, if it meant for him to search the whole world with his slow, sloth feet._

_A smile spread upon thin, pink lips as he thought about the slowness of his arrival. They said that they revitalized him as soon as possible. But he knew with technology today, in 2015, that that was a bunch of lies. They were afraid of him, he knew, and what he could do to them if he was awakened too soon._

_The awakening at this time – three years after he had been shot – had been bad enough. He had sat up after wheezing the first breaths of his new life and demanded for Sonya. When they did not comply by bringing her to him, he commanded them to energize his new body to full power. They did, but not without telling him the side effects of the power machine._

_Like the sloth feet, he thought still chuckling at his stupid joke. The machete that was strapped onto his back glistened in the sunlight as he approached the new conurbation: Metrohell._

"Metrohell? That's the most lamest thing I have ever heard!" Paul said, with a slender eyebrow raised as he gazed at me from above the papers in his hands. I rolled my eyes and sighed, Paul was reading my newest creation – One Step From Death.

I guess I forgot to mention my writing career. Once I had finished working at the supermarket as a manager, I demoted myself and gave into becoming an author. Working at the Supermarket was my part-time job. Paul said that ever since I had bought a laptop and started to read more, I had real potential in becoming one.

An author, I mean. Not a laptop.

I could so imagine that hitting the headlines… no, television. _Susannah Simon, the WALKING, TALKING new LAPTOP!_ That would be so funny. Not that it ever would happen because becoming a laptop is definitely not on my 'Achievement list.'

The top thing on my so-called imaginary 'Achievement list,' would have to be getting a new wardrobe – literally a wardrobe, not clothes as the saying suggests. The other top thing would be to finish 'One Step From Death.' Other than that, I could imagine nothing else.

I jolted back to reality. I seemed to be drifting off a lot lately, something to do with lack of sleep, maybe? I never really got much sleep, Paul and I always went to nightclubs, stayed the night, got drunk etc… Sometimes we went for a good old movie at the cinema, some through the drive-through one's. But other than that and our jobs, I spent most of my time inside.

"Shut up." I replied, after what seemed to be an eternity of Paul's exclamation.

Paul put his head down to read more. I had only added a small scrap onto the end of the writing he had already read. It went like this:

_Metrohell; it seemed to be the new capital of the Devil base. Although he was not among their kind, the evil presence here let him through. They knew he was much more powerful than there forces combined. Only the ruler of their kind could match up to skills as great as his._

_That was not to say that he was evil. No, the reawakening just forced his powers to adapt at a greater level. He knew where to find Sonya once he stepped into the place – she was held captive in the largest tower of the castle. Where he would soon find Oryon, as well._

_With reassurance that the machete was still equipped onto his back, Zane spread his large, white angelic wings and flew up to the tallest tower, ready to fight for the angel he loved._

Paul had obviously finished reading the prologue. He looked a little dazzled. "Zane is back?" He asked, surprised. I grinned, Zane died of a gunshot wound in the last book – Angelic Demise, while saving Sonya's life from the evil forces that Oryon had set out to destroy them both. Oryon wanted Sonya to himself, you see, and he would stop at nothing to get her.

The triangle of Sonya-Zane-Oryon seemed to remind me of the Susannah-Jesse-Paul triangle. Although I doubted that Jesse suddenly had large, white wings or would someday come back to life, I had based Zane on the ghost I loved. Although Zane was a ruthless fighter, Sonya was a martial arts master with looming, purple wings and Oryon was Satan's spawn: like I once thought Paul to be. Although Paul could never really be evil.

"So," Paul stated after I had nodded to his previous question, "When is Oryon going to kick their arses?" Despite how much he adored Sonya in the books, Paul's favourite character was Oryon. I laughed at this.

"Eventually. You'll have to wait until I write him into the book first." Paul did a good job pouting, I just rolled the emerald eyes of mine – they are more like grass, I would say, but my friends call them emeralds. My eyes, I mean.

I glanced over at the clock. The large hand was pointing to 9 and the smaller one was pointing to 1. It was almost two o' clock in the afternoon and we both hadn't gotten out of our pyjamas yet! This was sort of usual; Paul and I hardly ever awoke earlier than 10:00 in the morning. I was happy that most of the time I worked late shifts at the market and being an author, you didn't have to wear any type of uniform: you could do your job in your pyjamas if you wished to.

Paul found the object that withheld my gaze and shook his head, grinning. He stood and walked over to the threshold where the lounge-room ended and the kitchen started. He picked up the white, cordless phone that we had added to the apartment and asked me before dialling: "Pizza or Maccas?"

"You can't order Maccas on the phone – Dufus. Get dressed and we'll go pick up some fish and chips." I stood myself, taking the Prologue to my story with me and turning on the stereo, which started to belt out 'Sum 41' one of my favourite bands. _The Hell Song_ was the first on the play list so I sung along with it, dancing as I did – I knew every word to that song.

"Yes mom." Came the reply over _Fat Lip_, the next song that played, but Paul went off to get dressed despite his comment. I rolled my eyes for the third time that day; it seemed that I was Paul's _only_ motivation. That, and the prospect of getting food.

I slipped into a pair of Capri pants, some sneakers that were left outside and a bottle green halter-neck top that CeeCee bought me; it 'matches my eyes' as she so eloquently put it. I had a little trouble finding Paul's car keys – yes, it was official; Susannah Simon could drive a car (after trying and failing to get her licence 14 times beforehand.) but still, she must use Paul's car – but Paul eventually found them on the kitchen table, conveniently exactly where I had left them before.

I hopped into the silver BMW; I shoved the keys in the ignition and started to reverse back out of the driveway slowly. Paul, who was not yet in the car, started to holler out curses at me, and other things like: 'Wait up' or 'Suze, don't do this again.'

Paul knew I was just playing around with him. Once I was on the road, I parked the car and waited for him to run up to it. It took him four minutes before he actually came down to meet me but once he did, it seemed to be his turn to roll his eyes. He did so before letting out a whole load of mocking words. Once he was over, however, I twisted the key again and started up the engine. Then we were off.

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**Ahh… Another Stupid, Pointless chapter. It was a quick update. Jesse will be in the next chapter… assuming that this new person IS Jesse, that is.**

**_Flonshoe –_Thanks for being my first reviewer. I love your complements and I hope you like this next chapter.**

**_Alda Rethe –_Cool name, I don't know what it means though :D Medium just rocks and Paul is such a sweetie in this fic… I write him that way -O**

**_Saphiregreen –_Haha… Your story rocks. I beg your pardon… I have SO read Twilight. Lmao. I go for both P/S and J/S. I just have NO idea what this story is going to turn into though. Thanks again for your review. You shall not be dissapointed.**

**∞ Isa ∞**


	3. III: Cold Company

**Okay, now I know this is cancelling out my own assurance on the last chapter, but if you haven't read it, I'm going to have to ask you to. It has relevance in this chapter. Yet, this is still the first chapter that really has my plot going. I ask of you readers to hang on: Jesse might be coming into this fic later than I expected. But he WILL be coming… don't judge this ff by it's first three chapters, okay? For now: Enjoy.**

**∞ Isa ∞**

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Needless to say, the ride to the fish and chip store was a long, painful one. Paul refused to speak to me after running out of threats and curses to yell at me; that seemed to be the only bonus. You can't get Paul quiet easily; Almost driving off with him wouldn't work forever. So I was glad for the silence. Living with Paul… sheesh.

Would it be cliché if I said that at this fish and chip store we were approaching, my life would change forever? Yes? Ok. So I won't say it then.

It started normally. Despite his annoyance with me, Paul held my hand. We always did that. It was funny to see what people thought of it; everyone was convinced that we were a couple. Paul and I were too lazy to contradict them.

Kelly Prescott glared at us when we entered. Paul and Kelly had dated for a while but then Paul dumped her, and according to Kelly after that, _no one_ dumps Kelly Prescott. Well, no one until Paul, I guess, who had replied with a sleek: "I just did." Which got me, standing beside him at the time, cracking up.

Okay, so Kelly and her friends were pissed at us... Your point? Paul and I ignored them and continued to approach the counter, where an 18-year-old employee was checking Debbie Mancaso, who was sitting next to Kelly, out with eager eyes.

I pushed him back into reality with a flick in front of his face. He pried his eyes away from Debbie and looked at me, his hazel eyes still had that flirting glint in them. Paul almost lost it when he looked me up and down and a smirk came upon thin pink lips.

"Hello Miss. What would you like to order?" Flirt. I saw it coming, I, however, was not one to burst people's bubbles – unless with a fist. And I had no intention of punching him up; all I wanted was fish and chips before Paul did the honors himself.

My voice was almost emotionless. "The usual." Paul's face changed from a lethal glare to the employee to his trademark smirk. Another employee, a quite funny black man named Roger came to the counter and ruffled the kid's hair.

"Ah, go easy on him, Simon. He's a newie in town, doesn't know about your infamous rep." Roger suggested to the employee the properties; I shook my head, grinning at Roger. Almost everyone – Kelly Prescott and her team despises him – liked Roger, he was one of Paul and my best friends.

"How you doin' Slater!" He cooed to Paul, Paul grinned; a real grin this time. Paul and Roger always got on well together. They shook hands now like they did every time we entered this joint and Roger was on duty.

The rookie employee was yelling to the cooks in the back to get a move on with our order as the three of us – Roger, Paul and me – were watching and listening in on the conversation for a moment… we heard a crash before we all burst out into laughter. Roger yelled some comments back to the fallen rookie before going to get the order himself. Paul and I grinned at each other for moments more before Roger came back, fish and chips in hand.

"Sorry it took so long, have it on the house Simon. As for our chat, I've got to get back to Marina." Marina was Roger's wife and another one of our friends. Ever since Paul and I had moved in together, Paul had introduced me to many of his friends and we had made tones more with Paul's charms and my looks (ha, ha).

"See you." I replied quickly to Roger's retreating back. He smiled and waved at me before turning back around and vanishing through one of the twists and turns of the place.

Paul and I chose a table to sit at. Our table was the closest to the window and as I watched the waves roll up onto the Carmel beach, Paul unwrapped the food. An aroma of chips closer to me than the one's behind the counter of the shop hit my nose, letting the pleasant smell become registered by my brain.

I craned my head for a moment then turned back to Paul. He had already started shoving chips down his throat at lightning speed. I just rolled my eyes and picked out a few, knowing that if I didn't start eating now… by the time I was actually hungry again, they would all be gone. Another disadvantage of living with Paul Slater; he eats all your food.

Before I could reach for another chip in the pile, the door swung open. I thought nothing of it until someone gasped behind me and pointed to the person who entered. Paul dropped the chips he had in his hands and looked at the person as well.

"Sheesh. What's up Paul?" Everyone started to whisper rapidly as the person stepped in closer. I was looking at Paul too intently to notice them. Paul just kept his eyebrows raised and mouth open. It actually looked kind of funny, I wish I had of gotten a picture of it before I looked at the person myself.

Okay, I was a little pissed. Paul didn't respond my question, so I turned my head, wondering which large-chested girl he had spied this time. But once I saw the person who had just entered, my own jaw dropped. People were pointing to him, still whispering.

The person's face was most definitely familiar to me, as was his sturdy build, broad chest and muscular abs. The messy hair and completely black eyes – ones as black as midnight, were also well known. In fact, his face had been burnt into my mind for a long while.

This time, his clothes were quite different. Long, lean and quite muscular legs were clad with brown pants, not too tight - not too loose. He wore a pair of black leather boots, which rode up to the start of his knees. A white shirt hung half-buttoned up on his torso.

He studied the shocked faces as if observing them in detail – he was looking for someone. Whilst he was doing this, I was taking in the fact that he was really there. But the details that I knew of him were distinctive, to me at least.

"Suze," Paul whispered to me, taking my arm. I stared into his frosty blue eyes; they were concealed in a layer of icy shock. "Is that – Is he…?"

That was proof; I wasn't the only person who recognized him. He obviously knew me as well, because our eyes met, and his ebony eyes widened. A step was taken closer to me and…

And the one word he spoke confirmed all my beliefs. It was a name I was well acquainted with one that both Paul and I spoke of whilst I was in my musings.

"_Sonya_?"

After it was spoken, I was so flustered with shock that I fainted right on the shop's floor.

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**Betcha you weren't expecting that, eh? But… no sweat. This ALL has to do with Suze, Paul and Jesse one way or another. Who knows, it could just be Jesse brainwashed… or is it really who Suze thinks it is? Paul isn't the only evil person.**

**As for the acknowledgments (and soon to be flames):**

**_nikki007 _(for the review of Chapter 1 & 2) _–_ lol. You won't find out until I do, babe. Maybe this chapter – three – above will answer your question or maybe not. Here is a hint: Reread this chapter three's beginning Authors note… Btw, if I can manage to get on the Internet every day, a chapter will be up every day. Cause this chick ain't got writers block at all:grins widely:**

**_Sum1_ – You rule mate. Your questions have been answered kinda-sorta-not really. I'll give you the same advice: REREAD THE AUTHORS NOTE ABOVE THE BEGINNING OF THIS CHAPTER. If you reread it, maybe you'll pick up on what I'm saying. Love the threat gallie…**

**_Alda Rethe_ – Lmao. I'll eventually write: One Step From Death and it's Prequel: Angel's Demise. But for now I'll stick to fan fiction. I'm glad someone likes Metrohell, I couldn't think of anything else… As I said to Nikki007, if I can get on the Internet each day, I'll update each day. Patients may be virtue but fast updates are just damn peachy! I like Suze's job as well, I think she has a big imagina-ful-nation.**

**_Elmer's Girl_ – Oh deary me, you just crack me up. Alegion rocks by the way, much better than 'Metrohell' but I agree, I think I would enjoy going to Alegion or Metrohell for a holiday. Did I make the end of this chappie so obvious? Or are you just all knowing as you suggested? "Btw, great story" …very descriptive, Raine, very descriptive. :mwahahaha, or as you say, bwehehehehe, I know your FIRST name:**

**∞ Isa ∞**

**P.S. Would I be demanding anything if I asked you to review? If you do - review, that is -****you might just end up getting a say in what relationships I put into it, because I have so many choices now… :shifty eyes, big grin:**


	4. IV: Shadowland Shindigs

**Woah. I was expecting a million flames for the last chapter, but instead I got three good reviews :grins: you guys make my day… Hopefully this chapter will answer your questions, if it doesn't, then I'll answer them visibly down the bottom of the page.**

**∞ Isa ∞**

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My mind spun. I realized the moment I saw the masses of stars and endless hallway that I hadn't fainted but I had shifted to Shadowland instead.

I tried to figure out the answer to this problem subconsciously but the only thing I could think of was a line from a book I must have read. No. A book I must have _written_. It was the opening paragraph in Part Two of Angelic Demise – the preliminary introduction of Sonya Rosette.

_There was a woman in the highest tower of the Rosette Palace; she appeared to be only eighteen with her rounded face, cream completion, wavy raven hair that fell to her elbows and glittering eyes, which held knowledge and skill – for the martial arts in particular._

_Her name was Sonya Rosette, the youngest of the three Rosette sisters. Her two elder sisters were of age twenty-five thousand and twenty-two thousand as Sonya was only eighteen thousand. The middle sister, Verity Rosette was a flaxen haired beauty – with icy blue eyes to match, the eldest sister, Beatrice Rosette was dark haired like Sonya, only she withheld the same eyes as Verity. Sonya was the only one who inherited her father's eyes – a deep bottle green that shone like jewels._

_Today, Sonya dressed in a medieval-fashioned, radiant purple dress. The colour was a soft violet, only two shades lighter than the large, hawk like mauve wings that had grown from her back ever since the age of three. She was to wear this for the formal outing that the Rosette's, being a royal band of angels, attended every year – the Shata'hai._

_Made primarily for the meeting of bond partners, the Shata'hai was an occasion no Angel could afford to miss. Fairy lights would surround the place, levitating and lowering as they did, there would be ten-course meals available and many shops and stalls where an Angel could buy wedding bands or gifts for the mate they have chosen._

_It was compulsory for Sonya to attend this year because of her age – at eighteen she was expected to choose a bonding partner with whom she would settle down with, marry and eventually decide to mate with. Together they would create new families of Royals – so the traditions of Rosette Palace could be passed down for generations and generations…_

_But they did not know of what was to come, Sonya thought with a tear-filled glance out across the ocean, they did not know the horrors they would have to live with after that night was over…_

Sonya was always my favorite character in my books; I created her for darker purposes, of course, but nevertheless she was my favorite. I did not think of her as very much at first but then she grew on me, I felt betrayal when she did and I felt as if I knew how she lived – how she felt. As if I were, in a way, Sonya herself.

There were similarities between us, yes; the green eyes, for example, and the love to fight… but I had hardly the experience of being in a royal family – or a pack of angels. I was always normal, except for the mediator thing I guess. But now the ghosts don't bother me much anymore. Usually they are very easy to control with Paul by my side.

I was just about to shift back down to Earth when a voice stopped me. It was barely audible yet I heard it. It must be due to the super reflexes Paul says that us shifters are supposed to have, I thought as I turned around to greet the owner of the voice.

They had said the word: 'Wait' and that was it. I thought they were talking to me but when I turned around; there was no one there.

Cussing silently to myself, I spun around to face the way I was originally facing. Then I jumped back at the person standing there… the person I least expected to face.

A pair of green eyes that were almost identical to mine and a curved face that was also much like my own concealed my vision of the walls of Shadowland – but unlike my chestnut, shoulder-length, usually messy mop she had wavy raven hair and a pair of looming, large purple wings that were spread to their climax length.

I had written the exact meeting of a Rosette Angel so many times that I new exactly what to do. I knelt before her, bowing my head and a few moments later, rose again. Sonya in return took hold of my shoulders with her pallid hands and bowed her head as I did – so our foreheads were touching. It was a sign of peace amongst the Angels and Mortals that I created.

Purely because once Paul had done the same to me – grabbed my shoulders, I mean. And then he bowed his head to me so our foreheads were touching like so, yet in my book Sonya or I didn't suddenly burp in the person's face like Paul had done to me after we had eaten another round of Spicy Chinese food. Whenever I remind him of it – Paul gets the hiccups from laughing. Something else I use against him when we are in one of our civil wars.

"Susannah Simon, the woman I have been waiting to see." She smiled a beautiful smile. I couldn't help but grin back, although most of it was out of reflex. Sonya did that to people; she was so different from the rest of the Rosette clan.

"And I, you, Mistress Sonya." I replied with politeness. If this Sonya was the same one I knew from my books, than civility towards her would go a long way.

Sonya nodded, strands of her raven hair getting in the way of her startling green eyes. "I can not stay here long and I am sure Zane will tell you the rest of the story, but I'll summarize the explanation down to the key points." Sonya brushed the hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

I did not say anything, just nodded back at her. She continued: "Your books were written based on a triangle of yourself, Paul Slater and a ghost of a rancher named Hector de Silva am I right?" I nodded, unable to say anything if I wanted to. Jesse's name bought back too many good and bad memories; each one made me feel as if a million knives were piercing my skin.

"And you have had dreams about them as well, this is because everything – the Metrohell, Rosette Palace and the prospect, of Angels, Devils and halflings are real. The reason why it was so easy to create Zane, the devil Oryon and myself was because it had already been created – every event had actually happened. You just awoke it to the human world."

My eyebrows raised, "Why me? Why did I get chosen to record these? I mean, I love writing but it's just… a little weird, that's all." Sonya's serious face changed into a smile, she liked to be asked this question – or she expected it. I knew Sonya's powers were of a physic bend but I didn't know she could predict the future of normal mortals. Usually it was only where she was…

I inwardly chastised myself. Was Sonya not here at all? Of course she was! She obviously saw herself standing with me with her inner eye and knew I was going to ask the question. The flow of my own thoughts stopped, however, when Sonya began to speak again.

"The triangle of you-hector-paul was not made for any reason at all, Susannah." Sonya cooed with interested eyes and a sly smile. "I can read your thoughts, by the way, and Hector de Silva is not as gone as you think he is." At my quite shocked yet confused expression. Sonya just beamed wider.

"You'll figure it out eventually, my heir." Then, in a puff of purple smoke, Sonya Rosette disappeared from sight. I blinked once… twice. Okay, around twelve times before I turned around, just to make sure she was gone.

Then I closed my eyes and thought of home.

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**Whoo-Wee! Chapter Four done, or, as I have written it: IV. Incidentally, sorry about the roman numerals :grin: I love this chapter name: Shadowland Shindigs. I looked up the word 'party' one night on the thesaurus and it came up with the word 'shindigs' so… there you have it. Shadowland Shindigs. As for our reviewers on Chapter Three:**

**_Alda Rethe_ – Damn right I update a chapter a day. Lol. My chapters are short and easy to write, you see. But it's only when I'm on the Internet. Sometimes I'll have to go a week without it and usually I would get a few chapters done on the school computers but I can't guarantee it. The library ladies hate me… I think they're plotting my death… seriously.**

**_Breezie_ – Patience is virtue but fast updates are just peachy… I said that last chapter but oh well. I'll be saying it a lot. Thanks for your review, by the way, it's you people who keep this story a'rollin'!**

**Nikki007 – lmao. Where have you been for the past two chapters? I know, reading them I guess. But in Chapter Two, reread – if you could be bothered, because usually when people ask me to reread parts I'm to lazy – the italics, they are the story 'One step from death' Suze talks about Sonya briefly and there is a section about her in here. **

**Keep up the good encouragement and I might just attempt in writing 'Angelic Demise.' Or, at least, another fic.**

**∞ Isa ∞**


	5. V: Perception or Deception?

**Heh. The usual: Thanks for the reviews I love em. Okay… now for the explanation: I am SO sorry about the wait. I've had a huge geography assignment :groan: to do and it's 20 percent of our school certificate mark, Grrr… dumb teachers. Anyway, now I've updated. So I hope you like chapter five. :grins:**

**∞ Isa ∞**

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I slowly drifted into consciousness. My world spun and as I tried to open my eyes everything was blurry, so I closed them again. Then the shifter headache hit me and I felt my body being drained of all its energy.

Voices surrounded me, most of them hushed, some louder. I could tell I was no longer in the store; Paul would have bought me out straight away…

"Slater, I think she is awakening." A deep voice spoke. I had heard it before – memorized every tenor in his voice, every angle of his face and every mood he awoke in.

"Suze! Suze, are you alright?" I groaned, of course I wasn't all right, when I voiced this to Paul all he did was grin, I could feel it.

Finally my head stopped spinning. We were in our apartment, but Paul and I were not alone. Someone was with us… someone I knew well.

"Zane!" At the mention of me yelling his name, Zane raised his head and my heart started racing at how much he looked like Jesse.

It was only then I noticed the sudden change in him. Especially one… a scar on his eyebrow. I had most definitely not given him a scar on that eyebrow. My eyes narrowed at this and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Then I stood. By then I didn't even need Paul's help as he offered, I was fueled by something. I was not about to let a person deceive me. Especially after I had gotten the fright of my life by the same person. "Who are you…really?"

Zane took a step closer and then I knew. I knew who it was. He didn't have to reveal it anything more than the dark vibes I got from him. One of his hands shot my waist, causing Paul to glare at Zane. His other hand touched my hair, pushing a couple of natural curls out of my face.

"You are smart, Mistress Rosette. But not smart enough." Mistress Rosette? He thought I was Sonya! Even after Paul had called me Suze…

A change stopped me. His eyes, which were the same deep black as Zane's, suddenly flashed to red. And they stayed there.

Slowly, his body arched slightly – but not enough to loose hold of me – and his transformed. I cussed myself; I should have known something like this would happen. Zane was never foolish enough to reveal himself in front of anyone, mortals in particular.

Another long passage from Angelic Demise flashed into my mind.

_Two orbs, the colour of blood, stared back at her. She jolted, scared by these two pinpricks in the darkness and slowly stepped back. As she did this, the owner of the orbs stepped forward into the light._

_Blonde hair, sleekly pushed back, was at the top of his head. She knew by the moment she saw him that he was a demon. Her enemy. Her purple wings surrounded her as if a caterpillars cocoon – although she was not going to turn into a butterfly any time soon._

_His skin was pale, more pallid than hers, and her skin was very light. He moved swiftly, silently, but Sonya knew that demons were as rough as boars when fighting._

"_Mistress Rosette, Fancy seeing you here." His crimson eyes flashed to a lighter red for a second before fading back into dark. She realized what he had done; a cloaking device used by demons covered his wings. But they were very hard to get, and an automatic one was even more rare. He must be quite further into the inner circle, Sonya thought in awe, it would be the only way he could get one and still have enough money to buy his branded leather clothes._

_Indeed, he was wearing leather. Sonya blushed inwardly at the fact that he also was very good-looking as well. The brushed back blonde hair, ruby red eyes and pale skin along with looming demon wings and hot, black leather made him look fantastic, not idiotic in anyway – as it would to any angel that she knew._

"_How do you know my name?" She asked hesitantly. He tipped his head back and laughed before using demon swiftness to capture her in his arms as she tried to take another step back. The crimson that she had flushed mentally now came across her cheeks like cherries against white chocolate. The man noticed this and he laughed, a deep, cunning evil laugh._

"_Mistress Sonya Rosette, I know more about you that even your two elder sisters would. Maybe more than yourself…" He cocked his head and placed his lips gently on her neck, his hot breath making dangerous fireworks erupt throughout her body. She tried pathetically to get away from his vice-like grip, but as the adjective suggested, it was hopeless._

_She settled with asking her next question that popped into her mind, her voice cracked with fear. "W-Who are yo--OH!" She didn't get to finish, because the lips that settled on her neck parted and his tongue flipped out, before making a long trail from her shoulder to her chest where the violet dress she wore. Before she could moan for him to stop, as she was on the brink of doing, the man let go of her and she fell. Onto the damp, dark earth below._

_He gave her a wink before disappearing into thin air. His haunting voice hit the treetops and ebony night above. "My name's Oryon, babe, you better get used to it. You're going to hear it a lot…"_

As if I were Sonya, the feeling of his tongue across my neck suddenly seared. I felt every inch of fear as she did when he looked at me with the crimson orbs – his eyes.

"You know it was me all along, that is why you fainted." I was careful not to tell him I shifted or how I met Sonya up in Shadowland. I didn't even think it… Oryon's power, like Sonya's, was of a psychic bend.

Oryon, by my knowledge of him, did not know anything about Mediators, Shifters or the Shadowland. To Oryon, the Shadowland was purgatory, a place where demons did not dare to step. It was angel territory but after the spirits had gone through one of the extensive about of doors, however, was a different story.

Whether or not the supreme ruler of heaven – god? No one, out of the people who were living now and on Earth, knew… – decided to take them in was decided, and if the answer was no, the demons had their way with the spirit entering the next dimension. Most of the time, the people were hell-bent – no pun intended – on sadist acts anyway, so the demons trained them up and turned them.

When a demon turns a natural spirit of a human, the person becomes completely demon. And there is no going back on that – same with becoming an angel. After that, a demon cannot turn an angel and visa-versa. There is only one being in the whole of the five dimensions and this universe that is a half demon, half angel.

And it was the only person who, other than Sonya, could save me.

Zane.

Because at that moment, my apartment, Paul, everything I knew it to be, faded right in front of my eyes. Only Oryon and I remained.

A wormhole, like that of the series 'Stargate' – only it was in a funny shape, not a circle and the colour of the demolecularize liquid was a deep shade of crimson red – was opened in the blackness and Oryon walked through it, as easy as cake. As if I were no weight at all.

Trust me, I know how heavy I am, and I'm not that easy to pull along. But that seemed to be no problem for Oryon as we were transformed into tiny molecules and reformed on the other side of the wormhole.

The place we were bought to be equally dark. Oryon put me down and I was about to run off but he put his large, pale hands on my waist and rubbed his body against the back of mine. Tiny shivers erupted from the place where his hands were hot on my hips and then he lead me like that – I was forced to take steps when he did.

It was no use trying to fight him; Oryon was very powerful. And I was only a mortal, even if I was this 'heir' that Sonya was talking about. So when he led me to a dimly lit corridor, where I could vaguely see and then into a large, much lighter bedroom.

That was what it was. A bedroom. One, I knew now, was on the eastern wing of the Veleron Castle – the fortress in the middle of Metrohell, the demon city. It was at the tallest tower…

My train of thought was knocked into a different lane, like my breath was knocked out of my body. Oryon's lips were soft against the back of my neck. Whilst I was musing he must have moved my hair over my shoulder.

Then his lips flew to my ear, he bit down on it lightly and as I released a whimper, he ushered me further into the room and whispered into my ear, hoarsely. "Try on something elegant, Susannah Rosette, and be ready for a demonic feast. I assure you, you will not be dissapointed."

He left me there, slamming the door loudly behind me as I walked in the room. And only one thing reverberated through my head at that time.

_Susannah Rosette…_

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**Ooh… Another Plot turn… Yay! There will be a lot of these, so beware. Sorry if I'm jumping into it all too fast, if you have a problem with it then comment about it in your reviews, I want to know what you guys want! Zane will be here soon. And so will another hero… Jesse or Paul? You decide.**

**As for the reviewers, my responses:**

**_Elmer's Girl – _You just brighten up my day, you know that? Your one of my most loyal of reviewers – and friends – I love your site as well, very creative. And guess what I say to all that stuff in 'Vs. – Aquatic Angel:' Squid. That is right. Squid.**

**_Alda Rethe – _Another great, loyal reviewer :grins at the fact that people are loya-ma-ble to her: OO Sonya… evil? I don't think so… lmao. But it would be a good plot twist… meh. Whatever floats your boat… :) Sorry for the lack of update, the reasons above though. You know what I mean.**

**_Nikki007 – _hehehe. You rock and so do your reviews. ! I feel so loved! (Quote from Raine)**

**∞ Isa ∞**


	6. VI: Informative Interuptions

**Yay… Now I'm nearing 20 reviews… you readers are seriously the best. And I've had some pretty damn bad flames in the past. Here is chapter six for you. Lol. There is ANOTHER plot twist in here… Will it be Zane, Paul or Jesse who saves Suze this time?**

**∞ Isa ∞**

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The room was spacious, yet the four-poster princess-type bed and wardrobe on the right-hand side of the room took up most of the space. There was a window on the wall opposing the door; it was small and medieval-like, made of grey stone. I quite liked it, running my hands through the contours of the old, stone bricks.

I gazed out the window for quite a while: Metrohell seemed to captivate me. Every description, every detail I included in Angelic Demise and One Step from Death was all there… so real, yet when figments of your imagination suddenly come to life – it seems too imaginary.

Perhaps I was dreaming… I wish I were. But it was real, I remember feeling… real.

Life Sucks, which is what I summed up before I began writing. Now it seemed that my imagination has taken over the normal mortal world – and injecting the history of Sonya, Oryon and Zane into its veins, like our original dimension was really a human… like us.

I was babbling now, sometimes it gets out of hand, but I was really bored. I decided that I should at least look in the wardrobe that Oryon assigned me. I hated the prospect of being dressed in a demon's material and their garments, but if I was going to stay alive I had to. Oryon could turn me with one ounce of his blood with mine and I did not want to become a demon… no way. That was out of the question. I would rather die.

I was quite surprised when I opened the wardrobe to find not demon clothes, but beautiful attire of the angels. Did Oryon get me confused with Sonya again? Or did he think I was angel? I did not know. But if it was the latter – I was safe. For now. Oryon can't turn angels. But he can turn humans, and that is obviously what I am.

_What about mediators/shifters?_ That was the question that stumped me. It would be better, though, if Oryon found nothing out about Mediators and Shifters. He might try to use my power against me…

One dress stood out from the rest. It was made of two layers, a see-through very light, soft green and a shade of darker green underneath. The style of the dress was very simple, a semi-circled shaped neckline with small, slightly transparent bottle green beads sewn across the hem.

The bottom of the dress looked as if it were in tatters – the kind of beautiful, cutout pieces like Amy Lee from her My Immortal film clip. But if I am correct, this dress was made centuries before that.

On the back of the dress, I noticed, there was a new-fashioned zip, so maybe the dress wasn't as old as I thought it to be. The zip could have been added recently – angels have a way of adding to their clothes would harming the material, as I had wrote that Sonya's mother did quite a lot to Beatrice and Verity's stunning dresses.

This dress was the most decent one out of the lot. I was about to put it on, however, when there was a knock on my door. I wanted to go answer to it but Oryon had locked the door before he left…

It flew open and in came a woman I had never seen before. She was around my age and didn't come into the room very gracefully; in fact, she looked as if she had been pushed. She fell to the floor in a moaning heap, and when she stood, looked at my body with raised eyebrows.

I hadn't had time to actually get the dress on; it was gripped in my hands gently and the only thing I was wearing was my lacy white bra and bonds pink underwear. I flushed furiously, secretly glad that the person who entered wasn't Oryon – or even of the other sex.

Then a beam spread upon her face. "Oh Miss Rosette, let me zip that up for you." The woman indicated to the dress and all I did was nod. I put the dress on – it was a perfect fit – moved my hair from my back, and she zipped it up tightly.

"I should introduce myself, I'm Charlotte Vida – a-a servant at Veleron." She hung her head low, causing her mop of blonde hair to fall into her face. Her blue eyes sparkled with unshed crystal tears, almost forcing her to let them fall.

I looked down at what she was wearing, a quite dirty, plain, and purple dress. It had stains of black and a rip in the seam on the back. She looked around size 12 in ladies – the exact same as I was.

I selected a nice dress out of the wardrobe in front of me, while Charlotte was cleaning herself up. It was a soft blue – it matched her baby blue eyes. The dress type was a little boring but the dress overall was very beautiful – it would have been the one I wore if I hadn't had found the green angel dress first off.

Charlotte looked at the dress in my outstretched hands and then up at me… then to the dress again. She was most definitely surprised. "Oh my… No, I couldn't. The clothes are yours." She thought I was a regular visitor here? I almost laughed at that. But I suppressed it in and just settled for an easy smile.

"No, no, no. I have plenty of clothes. In fact, it was Prince Oryon who gave me half of these garments." I had written Angelic Demise quite detailed enough to know that any servant to the demon crowned prince expected everyone but the Royal Staff to call the current Prince as 'Prince' or 'Princess' and then their name.

Charlotte looked at the attire in the wardrobe, at the silky blue dress slipping slightly through my fingers and then up at me and finally to the door. Her voice was an awed whisper, "Did Prince Oryon _really_ give you these? B-but there Angel's clothes!"

I shrugged, "I guess Prince Oryon must have thought of me an angel." I went to sit on the bed, a nice lavender four-poster, and look up at the ceiling.

"An angel? That is preposterous! The only angels here are, as you must know, your beautiful sister Sonya and Mr. Je-" I froze. Sonya… is my sister? Oh no, no, no…

"My sister?" I asked, jolting up from my laying position on the bed. Charlotte looked uncomfortable.

"I was not supposed to say this, Mistress Rosette, but both Mistress Sonya and another man have been captured and forced into the dungeons." Another man? I wondered if Charlotte knew who he was, if she could give me a name – I would see whether or not I remembered him from my pieces of writing on these topics and the lands of Metrohell.

"What is his name?" Charlotte hesitated again. Then a knock on the door silenced the sudden reply that was to be uttered from her.

"Come in." I beckoned the visitor. Oryon entered and immediately, out of reflex I supposed, Charlotte bowed to him. She had ushered the blue gown into my hands once Oryon had knocked on the door.

My green eyes met the crimson pair and a dizzy spell instantly took me. It was hard for me to stop myself from falling to the floor. My figure swayed a bit and my face grew pale but other than that, I seemed fine.

Oryon smiled after looking me up and down for a moment – checking my figure out in the dress, then said to both me and Charlotte, "Come, both of you, the feast is about to begin. You do not want to be late… do you?" He looked at me with mocking eyes, as if daring me to respond with a smart-ass comment I had on the tip of my tongue. I forced it back down my throat, so to speak.

Oryon left after that, gesturing for us to follow. Before we did, however, Charlotte urgently whispered to me in a gravelly tone of voice – filled with fear and respect for Prince Oryon. "I will come to you when you bathe, then I will lead you to the dungeons – where they are held."

I didn't need to ask her what she meant, for I already knew. She was talking about Sonya and this other mystery man. Once she exited, I looked at my bed for a moment, looking crumpled, used yet forlorn in a strange way, then left.

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**End of chapter:grins: did you like? Did you hate? What can I improve? Lol. I can't write much for this A/N and sorry if the ending seemed rushed but my Mom is desperately calling me. So I'll do these acknowledgments fast:**

**_Elmer's Girl – _hehehe… Love your review. Lol. Stargate is like… so mad. And no… I don't think Suze will get licked again – not from Oryon at least. :wink, wink:**

**_Alda Rethe –_ Thanks for reviewing. The hero will be here REALLY soon. I promise. Sorry about the short response, I g2g.**

**_Nikki007 – _Yay! Thanks for reviewing again!**

**_Breezie, KawaiiQuerida-Chan, lax_ – I love the reviews and comments! I hope you liked this chapter!**

**∞ Isa ∞**


	7. VII: Reunion with Reality

**I'm so sorry about the promise of a chappie a day… school is a pain in the ass for everyone eh? Over here in New Zealand, school has just started Term 2… I managed to pop this out of my ass randomly, so if it's a little crap – sorry. Reviews are much appreciated – 27! – And I am one happy fanfiction writer. I might rewrite this chapter when I'm feeling a little saner. Sorry if the characters – and the one's I created – are OOC. But I wanted to give you another update. School sucks the fun out of life… seriously.**

**∞ Isa ∞**

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Oryon had his hand wrapped around my waist. This was very disturbing especially because I knew he didn't usually do things like this – face it, I knew these people better than they knew themselves. I was their author. Their creator… or so it seemed.

Anyway, when Oryon and I walked into the main hall – a longish sort of building, with the same walls made of grey stone as I had in my residence – I refused to call it my bedroom, I did not belong here. There was a large table at the top and in the middle of the room. It was kind of set out like the Great Hall in Harry Potter, but with only one bulky table and no students or the levitating candles… _or_ the enchanted roof.

Okay, maybe it's not _so_ much like Harry Potter. Whatever. Paul forced me to watch the movie… I would never watch that for leisure, willingly.

Oryon guided me to the high table, then to the allocated seat – right next to him. I cringed but sat down despite my hatred for the demons.

There was a man on the side of Oryon which I was not already occupying, he seemed older – wiser that the others. He looked down at me with interest, red eyes sparkling the way Oryon's always did. I noticed this man; if only I could place his name… he wasn't in the books much, but an important part to demon society.

King Anubus, that was it. I knew it was something starting with A. He whispered into his son's ear – the son being Oryon. Oryon laughed and I knew exactly what the man had asked, 'Who is this young woman you have here, Prince?' Demons used the words 'Prince' instead of just a name.

"She will be my queen." Oryon replied proudly, people – demons - had started to enter the room. They all took seats and I guessed that the feast was about to start. I, however, was too shocked at what Oryon had just said, to start eating. King Anubus also seemed surprised, but soon got over it. I knew that him and his son were to have a talk tonight about Oryon's choice.

If it weren't for the demons in the room, if it were just Oryon and I – I would have screamed 'WHAT' a million times. I would also have stuffed my face into the gourmet food that the demons served – only it was done in these horribly sharp looking spikes. The food, I mean. It looked as if it were a specially configured potato. I had no idea.

Other than the surprise of Oryon announcing that to, of all people, his father. The dinner actually went quite uneventfully. After dinner, I pleaded that I felt faint and went to go lie down. Oryon took that, but I wasn't sure his father did. He, however, seemed happy for me to just go off by myself, with no knowledge of the castle…

I grinned at how wrong he was.

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_I guess I should be more outraged, petrified and reluctant than as I was when Oryon said, 'She will be my queen.' Truth is, I was kind of expecting it – and also kind of confused with it as well._

_It is just a weird feeling I got… like this would all turn out once I talked to the man in the dungeons._

_Saying this, by the way, brings me back to the trouble at hand: what if Charlotte and I were caught when going down to the dungeons? Charlotte said she knew the way to keep us safe but I'm not so sure. I trust her judgement, I guess, I just am not sure of what I was trusting._

_I am making no sense whatsoever; I think my emotions are just… blown. Everything is chaotic and takes a lot of time now. Something about this place – other than the fact that it is pure evil – just freaks me out… I guess it would to anyone, but it's just… strange._

_Life is strange… everything is strange… Suze! You're making NO sense… I know I Know!_

_The first sign of insanity is talking to your self._

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At midnight – or what seemed close to it, Demons did not use clocks, neither did most Ancient folk – Charlotte stopped by my room, waited until I was fit into the silky, black gown I decided to wear (I gave her a light blue one to put on, this time she accepted and tried it on) and then we were off.

Charlotte was right when she said that she had a way in which no one would see us. It was a membrane surrounding our bodies that made us invisible to any other life form, demons included. Although, technically, they're only half alive. It didn't matter.

I felt guilty for doubting her as I followed silently through out the halls of the Veleron castle. I kept my eye out for guards although I knew that if there were any, we were not to be seen.

The dungeons looked exactly as the name described. Dark, damp and with a strange musty smell on top of all the disadvantages. I was too riled up about meeting Sonya and this other, quite mysterious person. I still had no clue who they were, only the weird feeling that they would help me. It might be Zane, or Paul, it could be someone else I have never met, but will meet sometime…

Charlotte put a finger to her lips and whispered hoarsely, "Come, Mistress." Then she led me down the flight of also damp, dark steps. I shivered out of reflex, not out of the coldness. Something had swept upon me and grew larger and stronger as I continued to follow Charlotte down the flight of stairs.

We finished on the stairs and then continued down a narrow hallway, there were cells on each side. I asked Charlotte in a small voice, "Who are we going to first?"

Her own voice was dropped to the quietest whisper, "The man. I think he knows you." My heart leapt, Paul… or Zane? I'm not sure Zane knew me though… I thought of Paul, Paul Slater. The man who I shared an apartment with, sometimes I would think about him – quite a lot actually. I thought about him, and me, and then us.

Deep in my heart, I knew that Paul always had a piece of me, a very special piece. We most definitely had something, but that was just it: The _something_ I was talking about wasn't love. I knew that eventually, if we both tried, I could love Paul. Paul could love me.

This set me on another trail of thought. One night, Paul and I had pretended we were married: just for fun. Paul cooked me dinner – and got it burnt. I kissed the top of his head when he handed me the over-cooked homemade pizza and ate it all – crunchy but okay. I told Paul this and he had beamed.

Then there was the other stuff, we realized that if we continued with this game: it would eventually lead to it. When we were sitting on the lounge chair, snuggled up to each other and holding hands like a normal couple would have done. Then Paul, sensing the show was over, smiled down at me – I was leaning against his chest – and lightly cupped my face.

After that, he leaned over, and he kissed me.

Paul said it was an experiment, to see what it felt like. I understood the meaning of it as after he had done it, Paul ran to the tap to wipe his mouth out. Obviously, he didn't get the thrill of having my tongue in his mouth as he used to. We had changed so much; I was more like a sister to him now…

Charlotte opened a door to one of the cells. This quite miniscule sounding event snapped me out of my dream world, or at least, my memory of Paul and my days together.

She entered first. There was a rustle from the other side of the room, yet only darkness prevailed. Charlotte lit the lantern she had in her hand. Then with a barely audible sigh beforehand, whispered, "Don't worry, we come in piece, we do not mean to harm you." She looked back at me, I walked in and she nodded to me before turning back around.

Charlotte took a step closer. "Someone would like to speak to you." She then continued to walk into the shadows, the lantern in front of her, searching quickly.

There was certainly a person in here; I could see their shadow. Then, a hand came and snatched the lantern. The person who had taken it took a menacing step forward, towards Charlotte, and she took one back. I could still not see their face but by the height and outline of them, they were most definitely male.

I stepped between the mystery man and Charlotte, my hands out in a shielding gesture. My voice was acidy and my face was screwed into a look of disgust. "Whoever you are, I will not let you harm my friend."

The person stumbled back when I said this in that tone, he was surprised at something – me… Or another presence? I turned quickly around, scanning the area, then back again. Nope, nothing there but the door and Charlotte.

When I turned back, I saw that he had illuminated his face…He blinked at me with those big dark eyes. His eyelashes were longer than mine…

_It isn't often I run into a ghost who also happens to be a hottie, but this guy... boy, he must have been something back when he was alive because here he was dead and I was already trying to catch a peek at what was going on beneath the white shirt he was wearing very much open at the throat, exposing quite a bit of his chest, and some of his stomach, too. Do ghosts have six-packs? This was not something I had ever had occasion – or a desire – to explore before._

_His abdominal muscles were deeply ridged, and covered with a light dusting of silky black hair…_

_The hair on his head was dark and crisp like, if you know what I mean..._

_His eyes were as black as liquid ink…_

Tears immediately welled in my eyes. I dropped the gesture. "Oh… Oh my god!" I sobbed, and straight away rushed into his arms. He held me after putting the lantern on the floor.

Stroking my hair with long, tanned fingers whilst holding me into the deepest embrace, Jesse whispered the word I had longed for ever since he had left.

"Querida."

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

**I LOVED writing the last Part… lol. I hope you enjoyed this. I certainly did. Sorry for the cliffhanger as well, this is to get back at Elmer's Girl for doing it to me… so huh! **

**Tank-you notes: **

_**KawaiiQuerida-chan**_**_– _Lmao. Thanks for the review. Now you know who 'Mr Je-' is. There will be more soon, and I'm sorry for the wait. **

**_Breezie – _lol. Sorry for the long wait as well. I hope this chapter will prove as a 'sorry' present for all the very patient, loyal people reading this story. Know that I love ya! **

**_Nikki007 – _Thank you for calling my story _great_! I think you would like this chapter, I've noticed that you're sometimes a Paul shipper sometimes a Jesse shipper. Don't worry! I'm like that too – except when Paul is, like, evil. **

**_Any1 – _Heh. Good name, lol. Jesse's here, all right, check out the chapter::grins: Mwahahaha! Thanks for the review. **

**_Moovalous3 – _Yeah, I just LURVE writing detail. The only thing that was wrong with this was no Jesse, but now! POOF! Here he is! Lol. I have a thang for fantasy as well, that's why I wrote this. If you like this type of stuff, check out 'Candela' by Elmer's Girl. It rocks! And has that really cool fantasy air to it. **

**_Elmer's Girl (for both reviews, chapter 1 and 6)_ – Heh! Yeah, Charlotte beat the name 'Sarah' that I was originally going to put in. Thank your friend for me, Charlotte sounds way better. And no… Jesse and Sonya are not having a secret love affair… that's a good twist though :maniac grin: but I know that all the reviewers would kill me if I did that Small reviews are cute, DON'T MOCK THEM! Lmao. I hope you liked this chapter. **

**_Alda Rethe – _ha, ha! I left you for last because I really enjoy replying to your reviews. Feel loved, dear friend, feel loved. And we shall all dance because of Jesse's return::dances: heh. I don't know exactly about the Susannah Rosette thing, or about the sudden 'Oryon wanting Suze to be his queen' thing. I think he just wanted to scare Suze or something. Because I'm sure he wants Sonya. **

**That's all folks! **

**∞ Isa ∞ **


	8. VIII: Random or Predictable?

**Hmm… I got this update up fairly slowly...sorry. Wrote it slow as well. It just didn't want to come out… I wish I could write more for you guys, you sure do deserve more, but my school computers don't allow and many other sites to go through. 'It has "Sexual Acts" on it,' Norton says. 'Yes,' I reply, 'that might be the case, but not ALL stories have that on it…' I talk to my computer, have a problem with that? Lol.**

**∞ Isa ∞**

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

Charlotte, Jesse and myself were running down the halls. Albeit invisible, we weren't as silent as we thought we had been. We rounded the next corner, puffing and panting quietly and it was then that I knew we were in trouble. Big trouble.

I should explain, after the reunion between Jesse and I, a teary one, as Charlotte stated when we had ended the hug with a kiss on the lips and a sheepish grin each, we realized how foolish we had been.

Especially me, I knew the mainframe of the Veleron Castle as well as Oryon himself. I should have known that they detected us. I breathed, 'Oh shit.' At too late of a time, then, with a beam of energy from Charlotte – we found out that, luckily, Charlotte's powers were of a Wicca bend – were cloaked in the invisibility shield.

As the guards came through the door, searched the premises and started to yell at people standing behind them, somehow, I don't exactly remember how we did it, but we got free.

Which took us back to the running down the corridors. I raced into my bedroom, still cloaked, only to find that someone was sitting there… waiting for me.

It was Oryon.

I breathed it again, Foolish, I know, but I did. 'Oh shit,' it came out before I could stop it. Jesse clamped his hands over my mouth. But Oryon had heard, oh how he had heard. He waved his hand and I was revealed.

That was the funny thing. _I_ was revealed, but not Jesse and Charlotte they must have realize this when a smile played on Oryon's mortally evil lips. "Well, Well, Well. Where have we been, Susannah Rosette? And why are you alone?"

"_Vaya,_" I whispered quickly, knowing that Jesse could understand. I didn't spend two years on my ass all day, I had mastered Spanish and it's pronunciation, proudly I might add.

A shiver went up my spine but then disappeared. I knew what it was, the thought of Jesse slipping through my grasp again. But they had to be safe. I couldn't let Charlotte be killed and Jesse become caught again. I knew the rules of Veleron; I knew that if they _were_ caught, both would suffer torture. I couldn't let that happen to Jesse, or Charlotte for that matter.

I learnt that politeness usually sufficed before hand-to-hand combat so I decided to be polite. "Just becoming acquainted with the castle," I said it nonchalantly, as if I did not care.

So as I was doing this all casual, I decided to add, "Why am I to be your queen? I thought you were in love with my… sister." I didn't know exactly what to call Sonya that wouldn't arouse suspicion that I knew much more than what I was telling. Oryon smirked again.

"Oh, I am Susannah." He whispered silkily. He should have known better than to think I would fall for that voice. I had heard much more silkier from Paul… and Jesse. Especially Jesse. I stopped that train of thought when Oryon started to speak again.

"I am merely using you as bait. Not for Sonya, I already have her, but for the abomination…" he didn't say anymore. But I knew. Oh how I knew.

King Anubus had nauseated me at dinner and now I remembered why. I remembered who he was and where he came from, just because of the one word his son spoke to me.

Abomination.

_He was destine to be the savior… _

_Yet marred by his own, terrible past… _

_It made him the abomination… _

_A third human, a third angel and a third demon…_

Zane.

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

**Another chapter done… A bit short and misleading but… yay. Feel privileged, school is being demanding. Two assignments in the first week? Yeah, that's just cruel. Don't you think? Lol. I get by though, especially with your reviews. On the topic, here are my responses:**

**_Nikki007 – _wow. You're the only one who hasn't started yelling, 'Jesses back' to me. Even Elmer's Girl did that… lol. Thank you for reviewing, I love feedback ..**

**_Breezie – _You can trust me, can you:puppy eyes: of course you can! This chapter is another one of my favourites… and this time has more from Angelic Demise. If you find the time, tell me what you think will happen in this story, I love people guessing:)**

**_KawaiiQuerida-Chan –_ I know! Squee! Jesse and Suze are, like, made for each other. Lol, I know what Kawaii means… hehehehehehe… no. No in my hehe-ing I mean, I do know, however, that Kawaii means cute… okay… now I've confused everyone!**

**_Moovalous3 – _Yeah, Candela sure is interesting. (By the way, the name means: Beautiful Woman in Spanish… although on the translation it means Candle. Elmer's girl meant it to be Beautiful Woman) I sure did like it, although EG (Elmer's Girl) is in writers block at the time… flies like infecting her room. Jesse rocks, I could not write a story without him! More motivation for me to update… heh. What will happen when the Demon's find Jesse gone?**

**_Mysteriously Mystical – _hehehehe… I'm killing you. Yay… Joking, Joking. Lol. Heh, nice to know that SOMEONE likes my endings… O**

**_Elmer's Girl – _ha, ha. Very funny. No seriously, I really was laughing. Gimme chapter eleven of Candela or you die… hehehehe… Maybe _Mean Spirits_ will get you out of your writer's block. Oh poor, poor Raine.**

**_Alda Rethe – _lmao, Charlotte was the name Raine's (Elmer's Girl) friend provided to me; it was better than the name Sarah so I chose it. No offence to any Sarah's out there. Charlotte was a more creative name. Anyway, we're not here to talk about Charlotte. I know Jesse is back! Squee! That was my favourite part. More Jesse in further chapters! Yay!**

**∞ Isa ∞**


	9. IX: Regaining Breath

**Fast update! Yay (Well, fast considering the fact that I started Rain Song and also am planning 'Bullfighter,' a tag-team with Elmer's Girl) :) We are up to chapter nine, hehehehe. Thanks for reviewing, I feel really loved.**

**Look in my profile and you'll find a new surprise… A NEW FIC! Lol. I shoved it together since last chapter of this story, bored creativity and, as it says on the first word of the AN in chapter one – of the new story that is, not this one –Randomness. Unfortunately, I have found out that in fact my Randomness gives off better chapters. But there are fewer in the story (there is only going to be three… or four… or five… or six) so… yeah.**

**_Okay, enough chitchat_, you say, _Lets get to the chapter_… I agree. 100 percent. But one more thing… reread the chapter name if you're confused about the content below. See if you can figure it out before I reveal it…**

**∞ Isa ∞**

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

After our very awkward, small converse Oryon just… left. I knew what he was doing though; he was letting me dwell on it – hoping I would crack. But nope, no demon prince was going to crack Susannah Simon.

It was a moment before I noticed he was gone. But when I did, I flopped onto the four-poster bed, shut my eyes and tried so hard to go to sleep.

Amazingly, I drifted off. I really did, but I didn't get completely into the unconscious realm of sleep, because someone was shaking me. Softly, though. It was done softly, the hands were gentle and did not want to hurt me.

Then the person whispered my name in a tone I knew so well, "Susannah. Susannah wake up." My eyes snapped open but it took at least two minutes before my eyes adjusted to the violent red light outside.

Woah, I had actually slept more than I thought I did. I didn't just drift off… it was morning. I knew it was morning because of the red light – I was in Metrohell, not on Earth. It was much different here.

Jesse's face slowly swam into view. His lovely features that I had seen just yesterday seemed even more stunning in the daylight. But there was something missing… and something gained.

My mouth dropped slightly as I sat up slowly, "Jesse?" I set my jaw, but that didn't make me less surprised. He smiled at me, mainly because I just spoke but also, I knew, because he was feeling what I was right now – a rush of affection. I knew this not out of my own vanity, but because Jesse and me truly did have something special. It was true love. He had supposedly moved on – but now he was back with me.

You know how the saying goes: _If you love something, set it free, if it was meant to be, it will come back to you_.

His voice was confident and full of affection yet it was also booming loudly so my ears rang. Was this a side effect of waking up so quickly? I would soon find out. "Yes, _Querida_?"

And then, I forgot what I was going to say. I didn't remember it at all. Just to hear that single word pass his lips made me want to jump up and lay a large kiss on his lips. Tears formed in my eyes but I didn't let them out. I had to keep strong. I had to –

Kiss him.

I did it. Kiss him, I mean. And to feel him respond to it with all he had was the most beautiful feeling in the world. When we tumbled back on the bed, I hit my head hard on it… yet I found that I didn't care about the throbbing pain that suddenly erupted from there. All I cared about was Jesse and the fact that we were, once again, reunited.

It came out so fast; I didn't even notice I said it until Jesse replied it. "I love you." It was a hoarse whisper, but those were the words I had to say to him so urgently. I had never said it to him before. I had whispered it the day that he moved on, though, but still not directly to him. After I found out about him moving on, that is. Or what I _thought_ was Jesse moving on…

Once the kiss ended, Jesse lay beside me, stroking my hair softly and leaning on an outstretched arm, kinked at the elbow and holding his head up. He looked at me with such adoration that I never thought I would be able to meet up with it. It didn't matter though. I loved Jesse; I set him free, yet he came back to me.

We were meant to be.

As Jesse stroked my hair, I put my hand to his face and slowly moved my fingers around it, touching every part of his flawless facial features. It was only when I got to the edge of his left cheek that I remembered what I was going to say before.

"Jesse…" I gasped, "You have-" My eyebrows furrowed. He looked at me, confused, as well. The hand stroking my hair suddenly grew to a halt. Brown eyes locked with mine.

"What, Susannah?" His voice was worried. I don't know why it was worried… especially since I let out a snort. This only made him look even more perplexed at me.

"Facial hair!" I don't know why this was so funny. He did have facial hair, only a little bit across the places where men grew facial hair when they didn't shave. It was only a light, yet prickly dusting that made my fingertips slightly numbed when I felt it. They tingled before dying down to their normal feel.

Jesse's eyebrow, the one with the scar on it, rose. "And why is my having facial hair so funny, Susannah?" I stopped laughing, yet I couldn't get the smile off of my face.

"It's just-" I trailed off. I couldn't seem to finish it. Because the facial hair wasn't the only thing that was new. I flipped over so I was lying on my back and, like a robot would, sat up really _really_ fast. Having realized what I did, you would have sat up pretty darn fast as well.

"HOLY SHIT!" Suddenly, I didn't feel like laughing anymore. Not that there was anything to be sad about, but tears welled in my eyes. Jesse sat up also, obviously worried about me.

"What? Susannah? Did I do something wrong?" The tears were flowing down my tears and I don't think I could talk even if I wanted to – and trust me, I didn't. I just wanted Jesse to hold me while the reality of this sunk in.

I knew what was wrong with Jesse.

Yet… it seemed so right. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Slowly I stopped my crying. It happened gradually from the tears and sobs, just to occasional tears, then to coughing and finally just sniffling. That also went slowly, from loud to slow. All the while, Jesse held me in his arms.

Finally, when I felt able to walk, I forced my self – very reluctantly – out of Jesse's arms and stood up. A beam spread on my face. Jesse must have thought I was insanely weird or something. He really did look confused.

"How did this happen?" I asked him. He didn't understand. What? Didn't he notice?

He proved his obliviation to be, just by asking; "The facial hair?" I released a little giggle. This was too good to be true.

"No!" I squealed hastily, before more giggles could erupt from my throat at the fact that Jesse had facial hair.

"What then?"

The shock of his obliviation kept me rooted to the spot. "You don't know?" Jesse stood up after I said that. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me softly on the forehead. Not as good as the lips… but it would do.

"No. I do not know what you are talking about." Jesse said honestly. I slipped my hands in his, which were now by his side. Then I put my head on his chest. He wondered, obviously, what I was doing.

There was a rhythm. A beating…

The tears came back again. I moved my head from his chest, took his hand, and placed it on the place that I had just heart that rhythm.

A sharp intake of breath also convinced me that I was not hallucinating – that this was really happening.

Then Jesse confirmed it and all I could think was: Oh. My. God. IT _IS_ REAL!

"I…"

He didn't seem to be able to get it out – but then he swallowed his pride and said it fast, as if it would harm him if he said it slowly.

"I'm alive."

There was an unmistakable shining in his eyes. I pulled him to me and held him in my arms as he did to me in his. As we did this, I kissed a tear away from his cheek. I had never felt any safer than I did at that time – in Jesse's arms.

But I should have known. All of our moments get interrupted. This time, I was lucky that it was no one that had already been in this room before.

"Susannah Rosette?" My head turned from its place on Jesse's broad chest, I turned to see a man standing in the corner – one that looked exactly like Jesse.

Except this man had a tattoo on his right arm, no scar on his eyebrow and dark brown hair instead of the black that Jesse had. His face was more of a curved one than Jesse's angles and planes of his own face. I knew on sight that this man was. Jesse obviously didn't because he asked in a protective, hoarse voice.

"Who are you?" His grip on my waist tightened as he said this. But I managed to struggle out of it and approach the man who was in the corner. This time, I knew it wasn't one of Oryon's tricks.

"Zane." The man nodded.

"Mistress Rosette, I have come to rescue you and your -" He paused, as if to look for the right word, "Husband." I almost laughed at that. Almost. This situation, however, was too serious.

It got even more serious when the door to my room, which I had firmly locked, swung open and Oryon flew in.

My face paled. "Oh shit."

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

**YAY! I love this chapter… so fluffy. Hah! Now I shall write more to 'Rain Song.' Meh. It's around 6:00 at this time in New Zealand (Where I live) and I'm feeling lazy, but perhaps after I watch a movie I might be motivated to write more Randomness that I created my newest story from.**

**Ack. Sorry… hairball. I get them a lot. That's what you get when you're a kitty-cat**

**(O.O) Lol. Okay, here are the responses to my reviewer's… hehehe… I own you… MWAHAHAHAHA:cough: anyway...**

**_Elmers Girl_ – School Sucks. I'm glad that's something we agree on. Lets not talk about that 'painful' subject anymore. Heh… I UPDATED:) Spanish just rocks, so does 'Candela' which I, by the way, reviewed. :eyes go wide: did you see, did you see! Yup, Zane is SO the Abomination. You know the storyline already? Lol. Charlotte IS a Sorceress. $$ (Nothing to do with that Subject, I just like money... Hahaha)**

**_Nikkole14_ – Zane is TECHNICALLY based on Jesse. But you don't know what the demons did to poor Jesse-kins. It will, however, be revealed in later chapters. I promise I won't hurt him TOO much. But there is always a positive within the negative that too you will see…**

**_Nikki007 _– heh. I love every chapter I write :embraces story: but I love YOUR chapters as well. So update. Or I will turn into the evil bitch Isadora Sofia… heh. Sofia is my middle name Love the review, by the way! You make me feel so special…**

**_KawaiiQuerida-Chan_ – Maybe Zane's comin'… Maybe he's not… You won't know until I do, babe! Lol. I love talking to my computer :shifty eyes: and :voice drops to a whisper: sometimes he talks to me back… YES… MY COMPUTER IS A MAN! IT HAS A WEINER! … NO IT DOESN'T! BUT ITS STILL A MAN! Sorry… Insanity.**

**_Breezie_ – Arg. School… I blame everything on either hormones or school. I hate them both… AND SMELLY CHEESE! EXPECIALLY SMELLY CHEESE! Lol. I LOVE normal cheese… but not the yucky ones my aunty makes me eat… experiment my ass.**

**_Angel Gemman_ – Nah I don't go to Chaminade… but Wicca? Oh. I found out by one of my BF's. She has a cousin (29 yrs old) who is been a witch ever since she was 16. lol. I'm kind of a student to witchcraft. I'm learning about it and trying to follow it traditionally. (You know, research it up for a year, learn it all and then try and attempt to become one… that stuff)**

**_Buffyrox16 _– V? I love that letter. Lol. Two words in a review? I feel so privileged. What the message said, however, just makes me feel special… seriously. I love ya!**

**_Alda Rethe_ – Hahaha! I am evil! I have made everyone want Zane to come and save the day! More on Jesse will be revealed though; he still is my fave guy character in every fanfiction. Suze being my fave Kanon (In the books) character and Sonya being my fave fan-fictional character…**

**THE LIBRARY LADIES ARE AFTER ME… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Their staring at me intensely, I can feel their gaze boring into my back. So I better end this here and go do my homework!**

**∞ Isa ∞**


	10. X: Since Always

**Hehehe. Chappie 10… YAY! Finished at least half of this story! Well, I'm still debating on that really. How many chapters do you want? I would love to do a million but I can't really. But I need an actually number… so gimme, gimme, gimme ya answer!**

**As for now… FICCIE!**

**∞ Isa ∞**

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

Oryon turned to Jesse, "I was looking for you, Hector, please, come to me." I blinked. What the hell?

Jesse looked at me with large, sorrowful eyes before he left my side and flew to Oryon's. Something was _very_ weird here. What was Jesse doing with Oryon?

The confusion must have shown on my face because then Oryon asked, "You didn't know, Susannah? That Hector de Silva is my right hand man in the ruling of Metrohell?" I looked at Jesse, glanced at him up and down. And then I knew what I had to do.

I had to talk to Jesse in private. I rushed him by racing to where he was standing, grabbed the material of his t-shirt and closed my eyes.

Then I visioned that place, and when I opened them…

I was there.

Immediately, I turned to him. "What the fuck is going on?" Jesse looked surprised at the fact that I shifted but even more surprised that I used that language in front of him. He deserved it. He was Oryon's right hand man? I would have never thought it to be true.

Despite my warnings to my ducts not to release them, tears started to well up in my eyes, as Jesse got ready to reply.

A smile crossed his face. A smile. I couldn't believe it. I felt like killing him – again. "Susannah, I-"

I interrupted. "Oryon? Why Oryon, Jesse? Why did you go to him? I thought you were HAPPY!" I yelled the last part to him.

Then, in the heat of the moment, I stalked to the nearest door and put my hand on the knob. The tears were now flowing at lightning speed. All my happiness was gone. I felt like I was in hell, not purgatory.

"Lets see who's happy now, Jesse. Lets see." And then, I twisted the knob with all my strength and pulled the door open. The light surrounded me; it was so white I had to close my eyes. The reality struck me then:

I had walked through a door of Shadowland.

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

_If tears could build a stairway,_

_and memories were a lane,_

_I would walk right up to heaven_

_to bring you home again._

_No farewell words were spoken_

_no time to say goodbye_

_you were gone before I knew it,_

_and only God knows why._

_My heart still aches in sadness_

_and secret tears still flow,_

_what it meant to lose you,_

_no one will ever know._

_- Your Querida_

_I signed my poem with shaking hands and placed it gently on the top of the gravestone. Secretly, I wondered:_

_Where are you Jesse? Why did you go?_ _But I knew. Oh did I know._

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

It didn't feel any different. After I walked through the door, I mean. Except that I felt a little warmer. I didn't dare open my eyes until I knew it was safe.

There was a wall in front of me – I was resting against it. But…

Walls did not have beating hearts.

My eyes snapped open. Tears immediately refilled them. I banged on the person's chest with disgust, hate and regret.

"Why… Why… WHY!" I sobbed into Jesse's chest as he held me still with his muscular arms. Why did he save me? He was my enemy now. I had to hate him. It was only right. I was the human. He was the demon…

It was only then that I realized Jesse's hands were at his sides. Then I noticed the white around me. I didn't see what was inside the door… that white… that white came from something else.

Jesse.

"Oh gods." I sniffled and stepped back from him slightly. Or should I say floated? I didn't really step back because my feet weren't on the ground. Jesse's, however, were. Legs, I mean. I leaned back to look at him and realized how perfect a picture he was.

"Susannah." His eyes were dark. Emotionless. Or were they dark from corruption of emotions? The latter, I realized, was the real answer. Due to what he said to me next.

"Te amo." He said for the second time today, this time in Spanish.

I couldn't believe that I had thought Jesse was with Oryon. It was a trick. I knew that now. Oryon didn't notice what Jesse was. But I did. Jesse had shown me.

Jesse had saved me.

Again.

This time, when Jesse pulled me in… not with his hands or telepathically power, however, it was with my complete consent. His body was as warm as I remembered it to be. But this warmth was not a trick of the mind as it was with the ghost warmth. It was real.

Jesse was alive.

It was good, I tell you, to be held against the body of the man you loved.

By wings of an angel.

My angel.

Forever.

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

**Aww… Wasn't that cute? Now you know. Jesse ma man is an angel! Peachy, isn't it? But does Oryon really know? And what's happening in Metrohell? Check out next time…**

**Blah.**

**_KawaiiQuerida-Chan_ – Thanks. I try to make it work out. Insanity IS a burden to have. Really. I love your three one-shot fics. I have probably already requested this, but if you can and have time to, do you want to do a tag-team together? They are REALLY cool. Do you have MSN? Lol.**

**_Breezie – _Write a fic or you die. Jokes. Thanks for the review, feedback rocks! It's so calming to come back to after two periods in the school library – with the evil library ladies. I'll try to slip more updates out of my bum. If you haven't already, R&R my new fic RAIN SONG.**

**_Angel Gemman – _Lol. Have you checked out RAIN SONG yet? I think you might like that as well. Anyway. Do you have a user on here? If not, make one up and write stories… I will surely review I love new fanfiction.**

**_Nikki007 – _OMG. Nikki007 actually wrote 2 LINES on a review! Joking. Thanks. Personally, I don't really like the oldies. I'm more of a Ramstein (dumb Elmers Girl for getting me into that…) and Mudvayne fan. Oh well. Whatever floats your boat.**

**_Alda Rethe – _Hahaha. Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm sure you will get much more Sonya, Jesse and Zane in the next few chapters.**

**_GroovyBananas – _Hehehe. Thanks.**

**_Whitedestiny34_ – I know. Cliffhangers are the bane of my existence. But I couldn't leave it at anything else. IM WORKING ON DEADLINE HERE PEOPLE! Lol. Didn't mean to YELL that. Nah. I'll have more updates faster. Check out RAIN SONG. Those chapters are longer. And have Ramstein in it. And is randomness. :nods:**

**_Mysteriously Mystical_ – Dun Dun Dun is right. I changed my name… AGAIN! Heh. First it was Isadora Alce, then Pretty Fire Muse and now it is MISSY MOOSE! Heh. I love that name Love ya!**

**Elmers Girl – Hehehe. Hello Raine. How are you today? UPDATE! Lol. Short Review why duncha? Lol. You paid up for it in _Rain Song_ though. Loves ya! Btw, the Rede rocks.**

**That's all folks!**

**∞ Isa ∞**


	11. XI: By Blood

**I feel free! Lol. And very _very_ guilty for leaving this fic in the dark for all the time I spent on 'Rain Song' … but now that's finished. But I am – groans a little bit cause she has no way to start – writing the sequel for it and it will soon be posted.**

**With that out of the way… I've decided, before I write the sequel, I will write at least three more chapters for this story... In a way of saying thanks for being so patient on it.**

**Happy reading.**

**∞ Isa ∞**

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"_Sonya?" She spun; raven hair flying, to meet the eyes of a person who could say her name with so much affection and silky softness. Her heart beat faster when she saw his dark eyes, tousled hair and large wings outstretched._

_Her eyes were averted to the scene behind her. Below her, actually. A large mass of angels were gathered around at the hired heavenly singer 'Stargazer.' Sonya never had time to enjoy such things now. Her life was full of the politics and facts she needed to get straight before she ruled the Rosette Palace. It was only true that the youngest of three children is the princess of the Palace. Her mother was to retire soon._

_But Sonya had time for him. She had time for Zane no matter what events arose._

_Sonya walked up to Zane in two easy strides, pulled him down to her level – slightly shorter – and kissed him full on the lips. It was, she knew, daring to be there with him because no angel was allowed to associate with a demon or at least half of one. But she did not care._

_She did not even care as Zane's hands flew immediately to the straps of her gradient purple dress. This, she knew, was the first day of the rest of her life._ _She sighed with a small smile when she head him whispering so quietly…_

"_Sonya… Sonya… Sonya…"_

My eyes snapped open and I sat up. Instantaneously my view was corrupted by the darkness of the place I was in. It took me moments before I realized where I was –

The dungeons.

_Oh well that's fair, isn't it?_ I thought with a mental snort. It was only then that I realized I was not alone. I stood up very quickly.

I didn't get to say anything because the voice of the person that was with me did first, "I hope you realize how much trouble you have gotten yourself into, Susannah." Out of a dark corner and into the light stepped the figure I shared a cell with. The large and very opaque metal bars were all that bound us from the outside world.

A smile spread across my face, although I didn't find very much funny. Meeting with this person, however, was quite a treat – something I did not do often. "Hello to you too, Sonya."

Sonya's raven hair reflected the dim, yellow lights perfectly. Her emerald eyes, so much like my own, were home to an indescribable glint. I did not yet know what it was.

_Desire. Anger. Love. Hate. Death. Life. Guilt. Trust. Truth. Lies. _

It could be any of them. But judging the smile on her face – it would most probably be something to brag about. Saying that, I think it's either desire, love, life, trust or truth.

But maybe that's just me.

Sonya placed her hands on my shoulders gently and slowly. "You know me better than anyone else… _Querida_." Her voice was soft and patient. I knew exactly how her mind worked – better than herself, even. I knew what she wanted. So I sat down on the grubby floor of the dungeons – not caring that my silken dress was now beyond wrecked, and proceeded to tell Sonya about my entire life. Birth to that present time.

She could have just read my mind like Angels do, but she did not. She listened to my voice form every word. I got especially high-pitched when I talked about how I moved to Carmel – and met Jesse. Then I continued to tell her about the adventures we had. How much fun they were.

How time flies when you tell someone the adventures you and your previously dead boyfriend and worst enemy now friend Paul Slater had together. Not to mention Father Dominic. And all the baddies, excluding Paul: Heather, Marcus, Michael Meducci, The RSL Angels, Maria de Silva, Felix Diego, Craig Jankow (not a real baddie… but oh well, still tried to drown his brother) and Oryon.

Sonya listened well, asked questions in the right pauses and placed comments when they were needed. I loved her for that, I really did. Her advice, for some strange reason, always made me smile.

A large beam was placed on the Angel's face as I finished my last sentence. (Which, by the way consisted only of: "And now I am here telling you about my life… the end.") She stood and lightly pulled me up with her. For a frail, slim and very beautiful being, Sonya sure was strong.

"Susannah. Have you ever wondered why you really were a shifter and not just a mere mediator?" This question she asked me left me completely stumped. No. I had never questioned my job of why I was chosen. Usually I just wondered who gave me the gift. I shook my head as signalling that I did not know and Sonya's grip on my shoulder's tightened.

"You are special." She whispered, her face inches from mine as her head was cocked in closer. "Every shifter has a reason of being. Your reason for seeing the dead was the same as Paul Slaters, and Jesse de Silvas – in his past life, I mean."

This was news to me, "Jesse was a shifter in his first lifetime?" Sonya just smiled. She knew these things – things that not even I, knowing Jesse from the back of my hand, knew.

"Yes. Your Jesse is also special." She let go of my shoulders and walked across the length of our small cell. The whole place was black – except for the dull yellow lights. I could make out the outline of a bed in one of the corners and a human toilet in the other. I briefly wondered where they got it from… it looked like one from Bing lee.

I stopped musing about toilets and their origins when Sonya kept lecturing me, "Your special skill – every shifter has one – had surrounded the topic of martial arts and techniques – your ideas mainly worked MAINLY worked because of that ability." She emphasized the _mainly _which made my face feel hot all of a sudden. "But sometimes they falter."

She stopped pacing and turned to face me full on.

"The reason why you met Jesse and Paul was not only because you would find your true love and best friend – but also because together, all three of you would cheat everything. Including death. This is not at all a bad thing. Together you are unstoppable."

Another breath and she continued, "Ultimately, your human souls and conscious bodies have been lead to your afterlife brothers and sisters. _That_ is why they call you by the last name 'Rosette' here. _That_ is why you and I are so alike. The same with Jesse and Zane." Her eyebrow raised, "I'm not sure about this new Paul and Oryon though."

An idea struck my mind. "Maybe Oryon is supposed to go to the good side?" Sonya just laughed at that. But after musing it, she agreed with a nod.

"It is possible." That was all she said on the subject.

We moved along. Sonya's next suggestion was voiced at that moment, "We have differences. This is because we have been apart for so long – if we could get over these differences than perhaps our flaws will fix themselves." She said, in a half dreamy, half serious tone.

"What are you suggesting?" Now one of my eyebrows was raised. I had no idea what she was emphasizing. But I got the gist of what she was taking about.

A smile lit up her face once more.

"Let's become blood sisters."

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**Woah. Sorry for the cliffie but I expect to have the next chapter up really quick. I hope you like this one. I know I loved to write it :) It's a little short but next chappie will pay up for it. I swear.**

**NOW! Acknowledgements to all my friends:**

**_Alda Rethe – _****Nooo… Your making me feel guilty! Lol. Jks. This chapter was, hopefully, a little longer. I've been in Writers Block for a little while but finally I have gotten over it. **

**_KawaiiQuerida-Chan – _Lol I promise I will continue. Hehe. I always keep promises :grins: btw, I love your story 'Gemini' a cross over of HP. Add more and I'll write up chappie 12 extra fast :)**

**_Angel Gemman – _****Heh. Dark minds… :P I most definitely qualify for one of those… :D Too bad you don't have a user. PART OF WRITING FANFICTION IS TO GET CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM ON YOUR STORIES! Gah… I just wasted a few lines writing that :) What's your email address? We can talk.**

**_Nikki007 – _****Lol. I guess I forgot about this story in writing 'Rain Song' but now that I have updated tis all good. Thanks for reviewing… I like your new story, by the way. Fantastic read. Add on to it soon.**

**_Nikkole14_**** – Hehehe. I hope you like this update and I sure don't mean to confuse anyone. I'm just a writin me story here!**

**_Elmers Girl_ – YOU BETTER UPDATE! I AM ANGRY WITH YOU, MISSY MOOSE! Lol. That was my old MSN name… hahahaha… :) Thanks for reviewing and I'm so glad that someone actually GOT the meaning to that chappie. U r ma soul sister, Raine Moral! And I DO envy you for seeing a shirtless Chayanne before I do… lucky bastard! **

**Please review.**

**∞ Isa ∞**


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